A New Global ‘Indian’ Aesthetic: Colour Sensibilities of Modern India

dating sites in delhi indiaOur recent event ColourNext Dialogues in New Delhi, which brought together professionals from various design disciplines to think more deeply about their relationship with colour, ended with an interesting debate. Reflecting on the event after engaging with the installations of four themes, an urban planner expressed that while the themes represented social trends prevalent all over the country, the colour palettes would appeal only to the urban sensibilities. Taking this argument further, fashion designers in the group stated that the palettes were devoid of “Indian-ness,” which would make them appeal to a broader consumer segment in different regions of the country, including Tier 2 cities. A fundamental question was raised in response by another participant- how could colours have a uniform appeal in a country as diverse as India?

http://www.bicialpedrete.es/?okno=mujeres-solteras-cristianas-buscando-pareja&0c4=72 If we go deeper into the meanings of colour can we say this uniformity already exists? Would a certain shade of fiery orange signify high energy for most Indians? Maybe not. Historically, colour has played an instrumental role in emphasizing the different regional and religious identities of Indians, as evident from the blue facades of houses of Hindu Brahmins in Jodhpur. The fact that one’s visual culture, ranging from artifacts and rituals to streets and signage, plays a major role in shaping aesthetic sensibilities of individuals is uncontestable. While in the past this exposure was limited to an individual’s immediate physical environment, media has now made it possible to virtually experience different environments. Besides projecting a vivid picture of the cultural landscapes of different regions of the country, Indian media is also now exposing its audience to aesthetics that are part of global environments.

2eme rencontre avec un hommeOwing to the increased worldview and higher aspirations to be more global, Indian consumers in Tier 2 cities, where global retail sales are already on all time high, may also incline towards colours with a global appeal similar to their counterparts in bigger cities. While it is debatable whether a uniform Indian aesthetic exists or not, in times to come more and more Indians, from different regions and religions of the country, would start commonly identifying with this global aesthetic, stemming from their increasing aspirations. Would this result in a unified “Indian” aesthetic by blurring the boundaries between these groups?